BISHKEK -- The Kyrgyz Defense Ministry will continue the Reserve Military Service (PMR) scheme launched in 2008, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports.

The ministry press service made the announcement today.

All young Kyrgyz men are obliged to serve for one year in the Kyrgyz army after reaching the age of 18.

As an alternative, the PMR option allows a young Kyrgyz man to pay into a special Defense Ministry bank account 12,000 soms (some $250) to be used to finance his professional military training education over a period of 22 working days at a special military training camp.

After graduating from the training camp, those servicemen take the Oath of Allegiance and are included in the military reserve.

As a third possibility, young Kyrgyz men who have turned 18 and can plead mitigating circumstances, such as the need to care for elderly parents, can pay 12,000 soms to the Defense Ministry to perform three years of paid community service.

The ministry estimates that 22,000 young Kyrgyz men this year will opt for the community service alternative, compared with 3,000 who will be drafted into the army as regular conscripts and 3,000 more who will choose PMR.